Ievgenia Pastushenko (ULB), Recipient of the 2026 Lambertine Lacroix Prize in Oncology

Ievgenia Pastushenko, Head of the Laboratory of Histology at the Faculty of Medicine at ULB, Télévie Principal investigator and WEL Resarch Institute Investigator. 

She leads a dynamic basic and translational research program dedicated to understanding the fundamental mechanisms that drive cellular plasticity during cancer progression

She has been awarded the 2026 Lambertine Lacroix Prize in Oncology for her research project on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT). Her project is based on strong experimental data demonstrating the presence of distinct EMT subpopulations in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, which could represent promising pharmacological targets. Her work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Nature (2018), Trends in Cell Biology, and The EMBO Journal. It has also resulted in patents and provided the scientific foundation for a highly competitive ERC Starting Grant awarded in 2025. In addition to her research activities, Ievgenia Pastushenko actively participates in national and international scientific committees and has developed several collaborations with industrial partners.

At the initiative of the Lambertine Lacroix Foundation, the FNRS awards the Lambertine Lacroix Prize every two years, alternating between the fields of cardiovascular diseases and oncology. This year, the Prize aimed to recognize an especially deserving researcher for outstanding fundamental research in oncology with translational implications. The translational nature of research refers to an approach that integrates fundamental scientific investigation with clinical challenges. This type of research encompasses all stages from the research laboratory to the patient’s bedside, and/or from the patient’s bedside back to the laboratory.

In 2028, the Prize will be awarded in the field of cardiovascular diseases.